How to Re-enable Google Maps View in Lightroom Classic 6.14

Are you still using Lightroom 6.14 and are you missing either the Maps view or the Reverse Geocoding (Adobe calls it Address Lookup) functionality? There is now a possibility to restore both.

Background of the issue

Late in 2018, Adobe released a blog post where they announced that as of November 30, 2018, in Lightroom Classic 6.14 (the final version of the perpetual license) the Map view will no longer be available in the Map module. Effectively, this rendered the whole Map module useless:

Google Maps View error message in Lightroom Classic 6.14

You may know that I don’t like to jump on the Adobe Cloud bandwagon, so until I have concluded my search for a Lightroom replacement, I will be a happy user of Lightroom 6.14. As such, I liked to hear that I can possibly restore my Lightroom version to full functionality.

I heard about the solution in one of my Photography Podcasts and I had to try it out immediately. I can happily report that both Maps View functionality and Reverse Geocoding functionality have been fully restored.

How to fix the Lightroom Maps View

Please note that the solution referred to below requires advanced IT skills. You can break your Lightroom installation if you are not careful. You may want to ask an IT expert to help you with this procedure.

The solution has been published on GitHub, by a user named astuder: Fixing the Map Module in Lightroom Classic. I can only suggest to carefully read the instructions multiple times before you start. In summary, these are the steps you need to follow (a simplified summary from the GitHub page):

Again, I can only recommend to fully read the instructions so you are aware of possible side-effects. But if you successfully complete the instructions, your rewards are a working Maps View and Reverse Geocoding functionality in Lightroom Classic 6.14. Good luck!